


Lifeguard Off-Duty

by after_midnightmunchies



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Beach Bum Lance, Cultural Differences, Established Relationship, Holiday Exchange, Implied Heith, Lifeguard Lance, M/M, Makeouts, Merman Shiro, lifeguard AU, makeshift picnics, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 03:38:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13227306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/after_midnightmunchies/pseuds/after_midnightmunchies
Summary: An afternoon of freedom allows Lance to pay a visit to his favorite person in the world! They're an ocean apart, but they won't let that keep them separated.





	Lifeguard Off-Duty

**Author's Note:**

> Happy New Year, everyone!! This is my holiday exchange fic for [Lyn](http://littlelyn100.tumblr.com/) from the Shance Support Squad Discord server! Happy holidays, love, I hope you enjoy!! <3

Humans were inconsiderate assholes. Lance didn’t understand how any species could be so conceited as to just disrespect Mother Nature in such a manner! Really, of all indecencies, _litter? On his pristine white beach?_

He sighed as he speared another Coca-Cola can, glaring at the offending object like his gaze alone could vaporize it. _If only it were that easy. He wouldn’t be stuck here at 6 a.m. missing out on beauty sleep to pick trash up from even bigger pieces of trash._

Lance dragged a hand through his curls, absentmindedly shaking the knots at the ends loose as he surveyed the rest of the beach. The sunrise was just beginning to break the horizon, casting a faint yellow glow across the calm sea. Small waves lapped at the shoreline, water clear enough to see the small mollusks that burrowed in and out of the sand periodically. He’d managed to collect most of the garbage, the sack at his side nearly the size of the other two he’d filled earlier. His toil was worth the effort for the view he had now, white sand stretching spotless in either direction.

Despite all of his complaints, he wouldn’t trade his job for any other. He thoroughly enjoyed being able to live on the beach and spend his days out in the sun and surf. And nothing could rival the front row seat that he had to the sea turtles that made landfall to lay their eggs _and_ the precious babies that made that slow crawl to the ocean months later. And while he occasionally had to rescue a poor unfortunate soul swept into a rip current or stung by a man-o-war, the perks greatly outweighed the oppositions.

He tied the final bag of waste shut with an air of finality, inhaling the sea breeze as a gust swept across his face. ‘ _If Nyma actually shows up on time for her shift, I might have enough time to take my boat out before dusk falls,’_ he mused to himself giddily. It had been quite some time since he’d had an opportunity to do so, and the boating advisory the night before had promised excellent conditions.

 _He could even go diving!_ He took great pride in keeping his scuba equipment in peak condition, but he hadn’t gotten the chance to use it in weeks! And while attending group diving sessions would be easier means of getting his fix, he much preferred the freedom and fluidity that accompanied a solo dive.

_And perhaps he’d be able to pay a certain someone a proper visit…_

“Morning Lance!”

Relief flooded the brunet as he whirled around to find his best friend jogging toward him with a bright grin. Despite the lack of physical sunshine, Lance’s day had already gotten brighter.

“Morning, big guy!” Lance greeted Hunk with a tight hug, grin widening when he inhaled the scent of fresh bread that always accompanied him. “You’re out early!”

“Figured you’d be out here cleaning up,” Hunk shrugged with a knowing smile. “Thought I’d bring you some breakfast.”

“You’re too good to me,” the Cuban sighed, accepting the fresh croissant gratefully. He eagerly took a bite, the warmth of the flaky dough incredibly soothing. A small moan slipped past his lips as the chocolate at the pastry’s center melted on his tongue.

“I take it it’s good, then?” Hunk chuckled, nibbling on his own treat.

“Do you really need an answer? It’s _amazing!”_ Lance praised, finishing the croissant off and reaching for another.

Hunk beamed at the compliment. No matter how often Lance applauded his confections, he always took it to heart. It was one of the reasons that Lance loved him.

As they walked back toward Lance’s shack, Hunk enthusiastically recounted how the bakery had almost been cheated of their delivery that morning. Lance nodded along to the story intently, munching on his breakfast. Every now and then, though, his eyes would wander restlessly toward the ocean, as if his willpower alone could draw out the thing he sought.

Eventually, Hunk picked up on this, cutting his tale short and fixing Lance with a knowing look. “Is he supposed to be meeting you this morning? Am I intruding?”

Lance jerked his head back toward him, eyes wide at being caught. A light blush colored his cheeks as he sighed longingly. “No, but I miss him.”

Hunk nodded, patting his back gently. “I know, buddy, I miss Keith, too.”

“Are you free this evening, then? I was thinking about taking my boat out to visit if Nyma gets here on time today!”

“Fat chance of that happening,” Hunk grumbled, but he gave Lance a sympathetic smile. “You should go see him anyway. I’m sure he’d know a good place for you to anchor and spend the night if it gets too dark to navigate back.”

“Does that mean you’re not coming with me?” Lance pouted. As much as he enjoyed sailing, the trip was admittedly easier with another pair of hands on deck.

Hunk shook his head with a small frown. “Sorry, bud, but we have an inspection tomorrow and Shay needs me to help her with some last minute spot checks after closing. Besides, I’d rather not be a third wheel if Keith doesn’t show.”

Lance nodded understandingly. “No worries man, I’ll try to set something more concrete up for next time. Maybe a double-date?”

“Sounds perfect!” Hunk grinned. An alarm went off then, Lance recognizing it as the one that signaled the end of Hunk’s break. “Ah, gotta go! Morning rush!”

He handed the small basket of remaining croissants over with a promise of lunch later on before hurrying back down the beach. Lance waved him off with a bright smile. He truly had the best bro.

When Lance finally arrived at his small shack, Allura was already seated on a barstool waiting for their shift to begin. Her white locks were tied up into a ponytail that flowed down her back, and her dark skin contrasted against her bright scarlet one piece beautifully. Lance was constantly baffled at how she remained single, though if his strikeouts were anything to go by, that was likely by choice.

“Well my morning just got a lot more beautiful!” Lance winked charmingly.

“You smell like trash,” Allura bit back in return, though her grin was playful enough to negate its brutality.

She eagerly snatched a croissant the second that he set the basket onto the counter, failing to acknowledge his pout.

“Well if some assholes would stop polluting our beaches–”

“Yeah, yeah, lost beauty sleep and all that, just go hit the showers,” Allura chuckled, waving him off. A squeal broke past her lips when the brunet scooped her up off of the chair and swung her around. “Lance, come on! You smell disgusting!”

“Fine, fine, I’ll go,” he grumbled, setting her down and retreating down the hall.

He quickly stripped off his floral trunks and white tank and dove into the shower. He’d been cleaning the beach for nearly two hours that morning and the scalding water felt _great_ on his sore muscles. He finished quickly, though, aware that people would start to flood the beach soon. After ensuring that he smelled fresh again, he hurried into his room to throw on his red trunks and grab a tube of sunscreen.

“So when are you going to see Shiro again?” Allura asked as he walked back out. She was standing at his refrigerator examining the photos he had pinned along its expanse. Many were candid pictures of family members, but he had a special section reserved for selfies and shots of himself with his boyfriend.

“I’m hoping to take my boat out to see him after our shift!” Lance beamed.

“Alone? Won’t it be a little late?” Allura shot him a stern look, to which Lance raised his hands in surrender.

“Don’t worry, mom, I’ll be careful.”

“If your mother actually knew about this she’d be just as concerned,” the older woman grumbled, crossing her arms. “And what if you don’t even find Shiro?”

“That won’t happen,” Lance assured, gesturing to the small purple shell dangling from his neck. “This shell that he gave me allows him to find me whenever I’m out on the water, remember?”

Allura sighed, setting a hand on his shoulder. “I know, I just… worry, you know? You’re like a younger brother to me. Just be careful.”

“Ugh, stop getting all sappy on me, ‘Lura, it doesn’t suit you,” Lance snorted, but he allowed himself to be pulled into a hug.

“Well there’s a sight you don’t see every day!”

Allura and Lance parted to roll their eyes at the smug lifeguard standing in Lance’s doorway with a cardboard tray of Starbucks cups. His sunglasses were still perched on his nose, and his own platinum hair flowed lusciously down his lightly tanned back.

“You’re just lucky you brought me coffee,” Allura snarked, walking up and snatching the tray from him. She stuck her tongue out at him and flicked her ponytail for good measure.

“Now that’s the Allura we know and love,” Lotor chuckled, sliding his shades up to the crown of his head with his liberated hands.

“Lotor! Come help me with my back!” Lance whined, holding the tube of sunscreen out to him with a flourish.

It was Lotor’s turn to roll his eyes, but he allowed Lance to squeeze a dollop of sunscreen into his palm. “We really need to find a way to get Shiro here so he can do this for you,” he grumbled. “I swear, _every morning!”_

“Quit complaining, I’ll do yours next!” Lance chuckled, then added as an afterthought, “and I’ll even throw in one of Hunk’s chocolate-filled croissants!”

“As if I wasn’t going to take one, anyway,” Lotor scoffed, rubbing the lotion into Lance’s back. “Oh, and speaking of Shiro, when are you going to see him again?”

“Today~” Allura sang. Lance raised a brow at her – _wasn’t she just arguing why he shouldn’t go today?_

“Oooo~ Going out for a romantic rendezvous?” Lotor winked as he finished and spun Lance around to face him. “Don’t forget to bring protection!”

The younger man flushed, burying his hands in his face. “I swear, it’s like I never left home with you two around! You’re even worse than siblings!”

Allura pursed her lips and Lotor put his hands on his hips. “Your point?”

“… Just get over here so I can put your sunscreen on.”

 

* * *

 

By some miracle, Nyma actually arrived on time for her shift, relieving Lance with enough time to take another quick shower and change. He threw on his favorite cobalt trunks and a fitted baby blue tee. After ensuring that his necklace was tightly secured, shell out on full display, he grabbed his scuba gear and a loaded picnic basket and headed down to the dock.

Another perk of his full-time lifeguard duties was a free parking spot for his boat. The Blue Lion floated idly in place, her mast standing tall and proud. She was sturdy, the small waves lapping at her sides hardly rocking her.

“Hey girl, long time no see!” Lance beamed, patting her hull lovingly.

He boarded with ease, setting his things in his quarters before returning to the deck. After running through a quick check to ensure that everything was in order, he unfastened the lines securing the boat to the dock.

There wasn’t much wind, so he opted for using the small motor. The Blue Lion was fortunately fairly sophisticated, with most of the controls accessible from the helm. He started up the engine, listening to her purr before he raised the anchor and eased her out of the spot.

It took some time to navigate past all of the traffic near the shore out into open waters, but once he was in the clear he sped off to the site that he usually met Shiro in when it was just the two of them. It was a bit of a ride, but he greatly appreciated the privacy that the secluded cove offered.

As the lip of the inlet came into view, he spotted a flicker of purple skim the surface to his right. By the time he’d eased as close to shore as he dared bring his boat, Shiro was perched on a rock waiting for him with a bright smile.

“It’s not fair! You didn’t even know I was coming!” Lance shouted to him with a grin as he lowered the anchor.

“Please, I knew the second I sensed you on your boat that you’d be heading here,” Shiro scoffed, plucking a piece of seaweed from his damp mop of hair.

Lance grabbed the towline and his basket of goodies before disembarking, hopping down into the shallow water with a muted splash. He dutifully secured the line to the large rocks that guarded their little haven, tugging it tightly to ensure its grip. Once he was satisfied, he waded through the clear waters to greet his boyfriend with a giddy smile.

“I missed you,” he sighed as he was pulled into a strong embrace. He buried his face in Shiro’s neck, inhaling his scent greedily. Surprisingly, he didn’t smell fishy; rather it was a pleasant combination of his natural musk and the fresh sea air. Lance was _addicted_ to it.

“I missed you, too, baby.” Shiro ran his fingers along his scalp soothingly. “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to visit lately.”

“It’s not entirely your fault,” Lance chuckled, gesturing to Shiro’s lower half. “You can’t exactly walk right up the beach.” _No matter how much I wish you could…_

Shiro frowned and flicked his tail in annoyance, the deep violet scales glinting two different shades in the late afternoon sun. “It does put a damper on things, doesn’t it?”

Lance shushed him with a kiss. “Don’t even start with that nonsense. I love every part of you, _especially_ your beautiful tail.”

Shiro hummed and pulled him closer, lips meeting his again. Lance crawled further up the rocks, setting the basket aside so he could wrap his arms around his boyfriend’s neck. Shiro’s fingers cradled his cheeks, angling his head ever-so-slightly to deepen their kiss. Lance trailed his hands down to the merman’s tail, petting the smooth scales at his hips lovingly.

Shiro tugged gently at the hair brushing the back of Lance’s neck, parting their lips enough for him to trail kisses down the length of his jaw. The brunet sighed, tilting his head to give Shiro more access to his throat. The merman’s lips continued their trek down, fangs coming out to nip at the tender flesh along his collarbones and pulse point.

“Fuck, Sh-Shiro,” Lance groaned, hands flying up to tangle into his hair. He loved running his fingers through Shiro’s silky raven locks, and he knew that the small patch of white at the front was particularly sensitive when he tugged at it.

A low growl reverberated at the back of Shiro’s throat as his hands moved to grasp at Lance’s hips, kneading the muscle there soothingly. Lance could feel his arousal growing, and while he was never one to turn down a good time with his boyfriend, he’d planned for that to come a little later on.

“Shiro, wait,” he gasped out, pulling at Shiro’s hair gently. The merman leaned back to look up at him, pupils slightly blown. Lance swallowed thickly, forcing himself to refocus. _Why had he stopped him again?_

“I-I brought some food... for us to have a little picnic.” He gestured to the basket beside them, trying to ignore how dumb he sounded.

Shiro’s grin reassured him though, the merman leaning back on his hands to look over the basket. “That sounds lovely. We haven’t had a proper date in weeks!”

Lance’s cheeks flushed. There was something about Shiro referring to their unplanned rendezvous as a “date” that had butterflies fluttering in his stomach. They’d been together for a few months now, yet Shiro still got him blushing at the simplest things.

“Do you want to have it on the rocks here or along the shoreline?” he asked, retrieving the basket and looping his arm through the handle.

“Is The Blue Lion an option?” Shiro questioned hesitantly, a light pink tinting his own cheeks.

Lance had noticed over time that merfolk seemed to have a great affinity for ocean vessels. At first he’d thought it was select to Shiro, but after meeting Keith and Pidge and Matt, who also shared the same intrigue and curiosity, he concluded that it must be a mer-thing.

“Of course she is!” Lance chuckled, kissing Shiro’s blush before sliding off of the rock. Shiro quickly followed him into the water, tail shimmering as it took on water again.

They made their way to the boat, Lance boarding first and setting the basket aside. He cleared the extra ropes and slid the cooler that he kept water and extra drinks in to the other side of the boat. He also retrieved two foldout lounge chairs and a small table from his quarters, setting them up onto the deck. After laying the blanket out across the table between them, he returned to the stern to help Shiro onboard. The merman heaved his upper body over the edge and turned so that Lance could grab his lower half. The first time they’d tried this, Shiro had almost capsized The Blue Lion. Now, after months of practice, they were able to do it with minimal difficulty.

Lance set Shiro down onto the nearest chair, then moved to grab the basket and unload its contents onto the table. Hunk had gifted him with some fresh bread and cheese, and he’d also picked up some fresh fruit the day before. He had a few sandwiches made, too. It wasn’t extravagant, but he hoped Shiro would appreciate it. He moved to the cooler and brought out a bottle of Pinot Noir and two plastic flutes, setting them down with a flourish.

Shiro raised a brow at the unfamiliar bottle. He’d had quite the experience the first time that Lance had given him beer. The brunet was slowly introducing him to other drinks, subtly increasing the alcoholic concentration as they went.

“This is wine,” Lance chuckled, pouring a small sample into one of the flutes and handing it over. Shiro accepted it with a bewildered look, bringing the rim to his nose and sniffing at it curiously.

“It smells sweet!” he remarked with childlike wonder. “The beer smells bitter and tastes bitter, so this wine must be sweet, right?”

 _“This_ one is,” Lance confirmed with a dopey grin. _God, he loved this man._ “Not all wine is made the same, though. It’s made mostly of aged grapes, and some people age them for different amounts of time or through different means, and they’ll add different things in to make their own unique from others.”

Shiro cocked his head, sniffing at the red wine again. “Is it stronger than the beer?”

Lance nodded. “Take a small sip first. It tastes great with the cheese and bread, too!”

Shiro raised the flute to his lips and took a tentative sip, eyes lighting up as the wine rolled across his tongue. He eagerly finished off the little bit that Lance had poured.

“That’s really good!” he beamed, cheeks slightly flushed. “I think I like it more than the beer.”

Lance had also learned from Pidge that merfolk had a potentially great tolerance for alcohol. Their blood easily absorbed the inhibitor, only triggering a temporary effect. It took some training, which was why Lance was taking his time in introducing greater concentrations of alcohol. At first sample, Shiro was easily affected by it.

“Great! Here, try a bit with the cheese and bread.” Lance pulled a knife out of the basket and diced the block of Brie into small pieces. He sliced the loaf of sourdough immediately after and handed it over, then poured a bit more wine into Shiro’s cup. “Take it slow, let the flavors come together.”

Lance wasn’t much of a wine or cheese connoisseur, but he wanted to make sure that Shiro’s first samples of everything were as perfect as he could make them! Shiro’s little treats for him were always surprisingly delectable, and he loved to return the favor.

“Wow, this is _amazing!”_ Shiro moaned, and _man, Lance could get used to hearing that._ The brunet quickly brought out the strawberries and grapes that he’d stowed away, smiling when his boyfriend’s eyes lit up in recognition.

“You brought fruits, too?” He looked like a kid in a candy store.

“Of course! You know I can’t resist spoiling you,” the brunet beamed, sipping at his own drink as Shiro dove into the treats. He reached for a sandwich, splitting it and handing one piece over to his boyfriend. “Here. It isn’t a fancy dinner or anything, but I made these sandwiches myself.”

“I’m sure I’ll love it,” Shiro laughed, accepting his half and immediately taking a bite.

“Sorry it isn’t as amazing as the cheese and wine.”

“Are fou kiffing?” Shiro grinned at Lance around his mouthful of food, fangs peeking out slightly. “‘s great!”

Lance burst into giggles, Shiro swallowing before joining in.

Their date progressed like that, the couple slowly finishing the bottle of wine as they made up for lost time. Shiro recounted all of his escapades with Keith, tales of exploration and feisty creatures keeping Lance on his toes. Lance, in turn, talked about his friends and their own adventures. Shiro snorted when he talked about Lotor’s failed attempt at hitting on a cute guy who was sunbathing _right beside his girlfriend._

“I wish I could meet all of your friends,” Shiro sighed wistfully.

Lance pouted. “Maybe on the next holiday I’ll bring them all out on the boat! I know Hunk’s dying to see Keith again.”

“That would be great,” he agreed. “Keith has been restless about seeing Hunk again, too. Bring him along next time and we can surprise him!”

“Done,” Lance nodded, making a mental note of it before his smile turned mischievous. “Although, I’m glad they aren’t here with us right now…”

Shiro seemed to catch onto his tone, hands creeping up Lance’s thighs as the brunet moved to straddle his hips. “Are you now?”

Lance smirked, trailing his fingers up Shiro’s abdomen and to his shoulders. He leaned in and pressed their lips together, tongue teasing its way in between. He felt Shiro’s muted chuckle, the merman’s tail flicking in amusement behind him.

“You know,” he murmured as they parted. Lance cocked his head at his boyfriend, waiting for him to continue. “You didn’t bring dessert. And if I recall correctly, humans always end a meal with dessert…”

Lance couldn’t help the giggles that broke past his lips. “You’re right! How should I make it up to you?”

Shiro’s grin widened as he tugged Lance’s hips closer. “I can think of a few ways…”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading!!
> 
> Come scream at me on Tumblr [@after-midnightmunchies](https://after-midnightmunchies.tumblr.com) :P


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